To find the actual problem instead of treating the symptom, use spyware detection software. There are a number of these products available for download, including Ad-Aware, Hijack This, and Spybot Search & Destroy. Running these programs usually finds the spyware (as well as a bunch of other items that potentially threaten your privacy and security), and gives you the opportunity to remove them.

Sometimes you need to remove them manually once you find them. If you're lucky, the perpetrator simply put a program into your Startup folder. Any program listed as a shortcut in this folder will start automatically every time Windows starts. Look in it by clicking on your [Start] menu, then [All Programs ...], then [Startup]. You'll notice some of your favorite software in there -- Adobe Acrobat Reader, AOL, enhanced mice, and OneNote -- are among those that are often placed there when you install them to ensure that they're ready to go when you need them. If you find the hijacker, right mouse click on it; then [Delete]. Don't delete any item if you're not sure it is the culprit.

More technically inclined readers will be able to edit the registry if the other methods don't work. I've posted instructions at www.megabyteminute.com for those of you who want and need to learn more. I've also posted links to the key spyware tools.

It's also a good policy to patch your Internet Explorer regularly. There are so many security holes being discovered that are being used by spyware, viruses and other security threats, that Microsoft is offering patches monthly. Keep up-to-date by regularly using Windows Update to download newly released patches.

You have a browser hijacker/spyware problem. Try downloading Ad-aware, SpyBot or Microsoft Antispyware using another computer and install it on the problem computer.

Actually, getting rid of a browser hijacker is quite complicated. You can actually use HijackThis to get some info from your system and post it on Spyware Forums and let spyware experts handle the problem.

You can also check if it's only a problem in Internet Explorer by trying different browsers like Opera, Mozilla or Netscape. If it is, I suggest you make the big switch from IE to a different browser.

If everything fails, you might have to reinstall Windows since Internet Explorer can't be un/reinstalled separately since it's part of the operating system.

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